WeBlogNorth Featured Content Creator of The Week - While I'm Young
This is a space that showcases all of you awesome WeBloggers in the North and gives everyone a chance to get to know each other, as well as raise your profile (and your DA!). This week we're chatting with full-time travel blogger Dannielle.
Interested in being featured? If you're a member, get in touch at [email protected]
Name - Dannielle Noonan
Location - Sunderland
Blog URL - whileimyoung.com
Twitter followers - 11.1k
Instagram followers - 11.2k
Create original content, don't force it if it doesn't feel right and think about what you're actually offering your audience
How long have you been blogging/vlogging/creating content?
I'm an old timer - I started my blog seven years ago! I only started to really focus on it about three or four years ago, though. I would have done so many things differently had I started blogging more recently, but I suppose as an online content creator we just have to make our mistakes in public and learn from them.
Why did you decide to start While I'm Young?
When I started blogging, very few people were doing it and it was considered 'uncool' because there was very little to be gained from it. Things were very different than they are today when the blogger lifestyle has become this aspirational thing thanks to the growth of influencer marketing. I started my blog because I knew I wanted to do something that involved using my words when I graduated, and I needed an online portfolio of written work.
Then I went travelling and it morphed into a travel blog because I wanted to share all my travel stories and pictures. (I've had to go back and edit these since because they were awful and it was mainly drunken backpacking tales!)
Do you see this becoming a career or part of your career?
I'm incredibly fortunate because it already is! I balanced my blog with a full-time job for years, but in April 2017 I left my job and started blogging full time. It definitely hasn't been easy and I had to work really hard to make it viable, but it's been amazing so far.
What do you hope to achieve for your content in 2018 and what’s your big-picture goal?
I'm terrible at setting goals and thinking about my brand, but I want to keep travelling and inspiring other young women to go out there and see the world. I also want to introduce more fashion and food-focused content, because those are my other passions and I can't always be off on adventures. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to work with more big brands and tourism boards, too.
What is your favourite social media channel & why?
I think the community on Instagram is much friendlier than Twitter so I prefer to spend time there. I'm a big fan of Instagram Stories, especially when I'm travelling so I can keep my audience updated on where I am and what I'm doing. It's nice to have a place to share less curated, real-time content that wouldn't otherwise make it to my feeds.
What is your favourite tool or app that helps in your content creation?
I've used HootSuite to schedule my tweets for years. It's especially handy when I'm on a trip and can't always be on Twitter. I only really use it to share blog post links, and I tweet more casual updates as and when I feel like it.
Who is your blogging/vlogging/content inspiration and why?
Where do I start? Our industry is so full of inspiring people! I think Victoria (inthefrow) just gets it right every time. Her Youtube videos are the perfect mix of styled, cinematic content and chatty vlogs, which I admire.
In terms of blog content, Hannah Gale is my absolute favourite.
As a travel blogger, I'm also super inspired by bloggers like Monica from The Travel Hack, who reassures me that one day I'll be able to balance having a family with my love for travel. I've been lucky enough to meet some of my favourite travel bloggers on press trips over the last year and I have to try so hard to play it cool and not fan-girl over them.
What do you like to do on weekends? Where can we find you hanging out?
If I'm not away, I'll just be at home in the North East with my boyfriend. This year I'm really trying to see more of the UK so I'm hoping to explore the North East when the weather improves and maybe even go on some road trips around England and Scotland.
If you could go anywhere in the world or experience any one thing, what would it be?
I'd really love to experience Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The colours, outfits, music and atmosphere just seem surreal. I've always been a bit nervous to venture to that part of the world but I spent three weeks in Mexico and Colombia in 2017 and it blew me away.
I'm also lusting after New Orleans, and I want to go on an East Coast USA road trip when I eventually pass my driving test. Oh, and I'd like to see more of North Africa! My travel bucket list is never ending...
What're your tips for staying motivated and/or organised in your work?
This is something I struggle with so I'm not sure that I should be giving tips! For me, it helps to write down what I need to achieve every day, and work through a list on paper.
It's so cheesy, but I recently changed my phone lock screen to a motivational quite and it genuinely reminds me to get my head down and get some work done whenever I look at it.
What is the one piece of advice you’d give other content creators & aspiring bloggers/vloggers?
I think it's important to just be yourself. Create original content, don't force it if it doesn't feel right and think about what you're actually offering your audience. Also, don't just do it for the perks.
Fun/Random fact about you (go on, surprise us!):
I went on my first solo plane journey when I was five years old! My mum's family live in Scotland and we were in the Isle of Man so I used to fly over to visit them alone.
The Featured Content Creator of the Week series is available to all bloggers, vloggers, influencers and content creators subscribed to WeBlogNorth. If you are a subscribed member and would like to be featured, then please get in touch. You’ll receive exposure to the entire WeBlogNorth family, as well as coverage across the @WeBlogNorth social channels and website. It’s great exposure for any content creator looking to get noticed and grow their following.
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